AP US Government — the presidency: powers, limits and Federalist 70

Unit 2 of AP United States Government and Politics is the most heavily weighted on the exam, and the presidency is a large part of it: the formal and informal powers a president uses to carry out a policy agenda, the checks the other branches hold, the debate over how far those powers should reach, and the way communication technology has changed the office. This material covers that ground and ties it to Federalist No. 70, the required foundational document on the executive.

The quiz asks about what the Constitution and practice actually provide. It covers a bill left unsigned when Congress adjourns (the pocket veto), the two-thirds override, how a treaty differs from an executive agreement, what executive orders and signing statements are and are not, and bargaining and persuasion as an informal power. It quotes Federalist No. 70 on "decision, activity, secrecy, and despatch" and asks what Hamilton was arguing against. Further questions cover why the Twenty-Second Amendment was adopted, how the Twenty-Fifth fills a vacant vice presidency, the division of labor between House and Senate in impeachment, a president taking an infrastructure plan to the public through the State of the Union and social media, and the Senate's rejection of Robert Bork in 1987, which shows why fights over life-tenured judges run so hot.

The flashcards cover each power, check and amendment, along with the distinction between formal and informal powers and the War Powers Resolution.

The written work asks for eight explanations of the kind the concept application question rewards: formal against informal powers, the regular veto and the pocket veto and how Congress responds to each, the sources and limits of executive orders, Hamilton's case for a single executive and the checks on it, why the Twenty-Second Amendment was adopted, how impeachment works and why its threshold is high, the four sections of the Twenty-Fifth Amendment, and how radio, television and social media changed the bully pulpit.

The oral exam puts short situations in front of you (a veto, an order, a nomination, a crisis) and asks which power is being used and what can check it.

The material names no current officeholder and refers to no election after 2020. Where people disagree about how strong the presidency should be, both views are given with their reasons.

• Distinguish the president's formal and informal powers with examples
• Explain the veto, the pocket veto and the override
• Explain executive orders, executive agreements and signing statements and their limits
• Explain Federalist No. 70's case for a single executive
• Describe Senate confirmation, impeachment and the Twenty-Second and Twenty-Fifth Amendments as checks and safeguards
• Explain how communication technology and the bully pulpit shape the president's agenda-setting power

Practice material written by Zestly, based on the College Board AP United States Government and Politics Course and Exam Description (course framework effective fall 2026), Unit 2 topics 2.4 to 2.7 and the required foundational document Federalist No. 70.